


Pachimari Paradise 2019

by one_irradiated_muppet



Series: GWA drabbles [2]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Drabble, Fluff, Gigi's Weekly Roadrat Assignments, M/M, Modern AU, Pachimari - Freeform, SO MUCH FLUFF
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-20
Updated: 2018-05-20
Packaged: 2019-05-09 14:06:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14717504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/one_irradiated_muppet/pseuds/one_irradiated_muppet
Summary: For the past 5 years, Jamie has joined Mako on his annual pilgrimage toPachimari Paradise, the biggest convention for discerning fans of all things Pachimari. This year things are set to be a little different, however.My submission toGigi's Weekly Roadrat Assignments, Week 9 prompt -A Victory. Loved getting to write this one!!





	Pachimari Paradise 2019

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to the lovely [Silly](http://sillyscrunchy.tumblr.com) for her beta-ing on this one!

In the tide of young families and teenagers flowing out of the subway station, Mako stands out like a sore thumb. The feeling is all too familiar, and though he’s grown used to it, today it’s hard to shake off. Usually Jamie would be by his side, equally conspicuous but - crucially - unafraid to bask in it and draw most of the attention toward himself.

“It’s alright mate. Go enjoy yerself, don’t miss the fun on my behalf” he’d reassured Mako between bouts of weak coughing, his usually bright eyes cradled between heavy lids and dark bags. Mako had wanted to stay with him, to feed him soup and stroke his hair back from his sweaty brow, but even ill and frail, Jamie hadn’t been willing to take no for an answer.

“Fuckin’ go, ya big lug! Couldn’t live with m’self if you missed it. An’ bring me back a treat, or else.”

So Mako had plumped the pillows cocooning his boyfriend one last time and headed out alone.

Near everyone in the crowd is sporting some form of Pachimari apparel, whether it be the colourful hats and backpacks favoured by the kids, or the chic designer handbags under the arms of the teenage girls. Mako’s long cherished _Pachimari_ _™ Paradise 2007_ shirt fits right in even if he doesn’t, standing head-and-shoulders above the rest as he does. It’s no doubt the only limited edition of its size still seeing wear today. But regardless of the way his age and the size of his shirt set him apart, Mako knows he’s in good company here… if not the company he’d hoped for.

Mako feels even more at home when his section of the crowd reaches the convention center, and it’s not long before he hears a voice calling his name above the din of excited voices. A hand beckons him over to VIP check-in, and a beaming, familiar face is already awaiting him there with his pass in hand. 

“Welcome back, Mako! Oh - no Jamie this year?” 

“Hana. Home sick,” Mako replies, bowing low so that she can hang lanyard around his neck. 

“Whaatt? This has got to be the first year he’s missed since…” 

“2014,” Mako finishes for her, the smile which ghosts his lips bittersweet; Jamie’s attended every Pachimari Paradise since they first got together five years before. Hana nods solemnly, fully understanding the meaning behind Mako’s few words. 

“Poor Jamie. The Parade’s gonna be great this year too - sorry he’s gonna miss it. You’ll just have to have twice the fun for him!” 

And Mako does have fun of course - if only half as much as he would if Jamie was there with him. The annual event is chock full of activities for the biggest Pachimari fans: stalls overflow with limited edition merchandise, panels detail future Pachi-projects, practically every snack on sale is themed and this year the fan-run area is bigger than ever. Mako’s discerning when it comes to merchandise, but the 2018 theme is _Year of the Pig_ and if there’s one thing he loves as much as Pachimari - and Jamie - it’s pigs. He ends up spending a small fortune on trinkets and apparel before he’s even gotten to artists’ alley, and once there he can’t help but reward his fellow fans’ efforts and splurge on art pieces too.

 “Hey, there’s the Big Pig! Mako! Over here!” 

One would assume Mako would take against being referred to as a “big pig” - but quite to the contrary, Mako heads over to the calling voice as fast as the crowd between them allows. 

“Lemme see him then!” The bright-eyed, dreadlocked man demands, and Mako lifts his shirt to reveal the huge custom Pachimari tattoo which splays across his belly. It’s got little piggy ears and his outie belly button forms its piggy nose - given the theme of the event this year, the design they created together was ahead of its time. 

“Fantastic,” Lucio says as he examines the tattoo, nodding in approval. “You’ve taken good care of him. Barely any colour fade at all!” 

“Use the cream you recommended everyday,” Mako explains, omitting the fact that Jamie’s the one to rub it in half the time. 

Once Lucio’s been convinced that Mako has no current plans for more tattoos, Pachimari or otherwise, Mako heads to the food stalls outside the convention centre. He’s pleased to see that his favourite snack is still available this year, and purchases enough portions of the Pachi-mochi to satisfy his rumbling belly as well as enough to take home to Jamie. The bittersweet pang of his boyfriend’s absence returns in full force when he pops the first of the smiling treats in his mouth; he remembers Jamie’s glee when they discovered them for the first time, how he’d spent as much time squishing the gelatinous shapes together as actually eating them... 

“Look, Mako, _look_ \- Pachi gang-bang!” Jamie snickered, mashing three of them together suggestively and making lewd squeaking moans to match. Mako snatched them off him and shoved all three in his mouth together to save the ears and innocence of the young families eating nearby, but the memory is nothing but a fond one. 

Jamie’s favourite flavour is matcha. Mako is partial to the strawberry creams. He caves and buys another pack of each before making his way to the open-air stage where the Pachimari parade will shortly begin. Of all that’s on offer at Pachimari Paradise each year, this is what Mako looks forward to the most. 

Mako’s VIP pass ensures him a good spot for it without the guilt of blocking the view for the children already lining up to watch. He’s pleasantly surprised to see that Hana has moved from the entrance of the convention to manning the VIP section, and she herds him in with a waggle of her finger. 

“No squirreling yourself away at the back Mako! The show’s great this year, you won’t want to miss a thing!” 

After a moment of pensive thought, she leans in - and up, as much as she can - to whisper conspiratorially behind her hand. Mako humours her by leaning down to bridge the rest of the distance. 

“I know filming’s not _technically_ allowed, but I’ll make an exception this year since your beau isn’t here to watch it.” 

Mako’s belly jiggles with a quiet laugh, and once he’s deposited his merch bags safely to the side, he pulls out his phone to do as she suggests. Jamie will be grateful - and so he is, too. 

The Pachimari Parade theme finally begins to play, and the crowd erupts into cheers as the first of the characters make their way out onto the straight. The usual array of Pachi variants are all out to greet their fans, bobbing and waggling their tentacles in time to the music. Dancers twirl and jump around the less maneuverable mascot suits, until a whole host appear on roller skates and the spectators woop and clap as they wind between one other and pull off tricks which would be impressive _without_ the bulky costumes. The roller skating Pachi are eventually chased off by dragon dancers, more cutesy than fearsome, and the year’s themed suits are introduced. As with most of the merchandise on offer, their designs aren’t far off Mako’s tattoo - he smirks behind his phone, wondering if it’s really just coincidence. 

One of the Piggy-Pachis comes right up the front of the VIP area, bobbing and jiggling to the delight of all there. In fact it fills up the screen of Mako’s video completely, and he glances up from his phone with raised eyebrows; filming isn’t allowed after all, so the actor inside the suit could be scolding him as much as playing to the crowd - it’s impossible to tell behind the big, grinning, adorable mascot face. Just when Mako’s considering putting his phone away, the Pachimari drops to the ground and for a moment Mako thinks it might have passed out from heat exhaustion. 

Then he realises it’s positioned on one knee, and that it’s holding something up in its two front tentacles. A surprised huff of a laugh leaves him before he can stifle it, and he shakes his head in amused apology. 

“Sorry, I’ve already got a boyfriend.” 

One of the tentacles awkwardly bends to hook beneath the head of the mascot suit, and the Pachimari head lifts up to reveal Jamie’s flushed and grinning face. 

“Gorgeous bloke like you? 'Course ya have." 

Mako’s lips part in shock, his phone suspended loosely in his hand until it’s plucked out, and it’s a moment before he realises Hana’s snatched it up. She’s squealing and jumping on the spot as she films them, and as the spectators around them begin to catch on to what’s happening, more excited croons join hers. 

Jamie’s flush isn’t just from the heat - Mako realises he’s got tears in his eyes despite how cool he’s trying to play this all off. As if anyone in half a Pachimari suit, down on one knee in front of hundreds of people could possibly be _cool_ … 

It’s totally fucking cool. 

“Mako,” Jamie’s voice quavers for a moment, but when he continues it’s with a growing clarity and suddenly all the cheering, the music, the elated squealing fades into the background as Mako’s entire world focuses down to the space between them.

“When ya first brought me here, I thought… well I thought it was mad, t’be fair. Never expected a guy like you to be into all this showy shit but, here we are - ya don’t give a damn what anyone thinks an’ I love it. And you’ve spent the last 5 years letting me be a part of your life and I never expected that either. And I wanna _keep_ being a part of it, with you, an’ yer stuff toys an’ parades, all the stuff that makes you the happiest...”

Jamie pauses for breath, and Hana’s voice pitches in from the side, her excitement apparently just too great to contain.

“Come _on_ Jamie!! You have to actually ask him!”

“Alright, alright!” Jamie scolds Hana fondly before taking a moment to compose himself, drawing in a deep, centering breath.

“Mako, will ya marry me?”

Mako can only nod his answer, his lips pressed together tightly as heat spreads up from his neck and tears break from his eyes to trickle down his cheeks. Jamie’s on his feet in an instant, throwing himself against him and Mako’s relieved to have his arms around him at last, engulfing him, Pachimari costume and all as he lets out a long, happy, wordless sound of gratitude into his hair. Hana’s screaming has devolved into wet sobs and the parade continues past as Jamie trembles in Mako’s grasp, laughing through the pure, giddy, elated relief of his victorious proposal.

They haven’t even gotten the ring on his finger yet, but it can wait. Mako doesn’t want to let him go for a _second_.


End file.
